The Whittington Health Department of Audiovestibular Medicine is a Consultant-led service providing Audiology and Newborn Hearing Screening services across North Central London, school hearing screening in Enfield, and Adult Audiology services in Haringey and at Whittington Hospital.
We are seeking an experienced Service Development Manager to lead transformation, quality improvement and performance across Audiology services. This is an exciting opportunity to enhance patient outcomes and experience through innovation, efficiency and continuous improvement.
Working with clinical, operational and corporate teams, the postholder will lead improvement programmes from design to implementation and evaluation. Using project management, quality improvement and change management approaches, they will redesign pathways, optimise processes, strengthen governance and improve performance.
The role includes analysing performance, undertaking service reviews, developing business cases and delivering sustainable improvements aligned with organisational priorities and population needs. The postholder will support compliance, quality assurance, operational efficiency and patient-centred care while embedding a culture of continuous improvement.
The Service Development Manager will lead service transformation, quality improvement and performance across Audiology services. Working with clinical and operational leads, they will drive demand and capacity planning, pathway reviews, audits and workforce optimisation to improve efficiency, performance and patient outcomes.
The postholder will develop and deliver improvement plans aligned to the Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme (PHSIP), Trust priorities and national standards. Key responsibilities include service reviews, root cause analysis, pathway redesign and implementation of sustainable improvements to reduce delays, improve patient flow, optimise clinic utilisation and enhance patient experience.
They will oversee waiting list management, referral and booking processes, data quality, Auditbase (EPR) optimisation, performance reporting, dashboard development and compliance monitoring. The role includes applying project management methodologies to support effective governance, risk management, stakeholder engagement and delivery of measurable outcomes.
The postholder will analyse data, develop reporting systems and support the use of improvement methodologies to inform decision-making. The role also involves preparing reports and presentations for senior leaders and stakeholders.
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work .
The postholder will lead and deliver significant service transformation across acute and community Audiology services. Working closely with clinical, management and administrative teams, they will implement service improvement plans, with a particular focus on the Paediatric Hearing Services Improvement Programme (PHSIP).
Key responsibilities include:
Leading quality improvement initiatives and applying change management methodologies to transform Audiology services.
Conducting audits, deep dives, thematic reviews and process evaluations to identify root causes, improve operational performance and strengthen data quality.
Using project management principles and improvement tools to deliver service developments from initiation to completion.
Embedding new ways of working that improve experiences and outcomes for children, young people and families.
Working with clinical and operational leads, the postholder will also support:
Delivery of activity, quality and clinical performance objectives through monitoring, analysis and targeted action plans.
Compliance with national and local standards, ensuring safe, effective, efficient and patient-centred care.
Preparation of reports, presentations, compliance documentation and inspection-readiness materials.
Staff engagement in quality improvement and service development activities.
Review and updating of SOPs, policies and guidelines.
Collaboration with other organisations to share best practice.
Representation of service leads at meetings where required.
Main Duties
Leadership
Lead demand and capacity modelling across clinical and administrative pathways to optimise workforce utilisation and service delivery.
Review documentation quality, waiting times, DNA rates and administrative processes.
Introduce and embed systems and processes that improve service performance, particularly in enquiries, referrals, bookings and reception functions.
Deliver service-wide improvement programmes aligned with quality, patient safety and strategic priorities.
Support achievement of waiting time, financial and patient experience targets.
Work with service leads to ensure effective use of staff and resources.
Identify opportunities for improvement through performance data, benchmarking and pathway analysis.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement across clinical and administrative teams.
Service Improvement
Implement and monitor processes that support PHSIP and other service priorities.
Develop, deliver and monitor improvement action plans.
Support PDSA cycles and measurement-for-improvement approaches.
Maintain audit programmes aligned with Trust priorities, BSA standards, IQIPS requirements and national guidance.
Undertake reviews of referral delays, waiting times, workflow inefficiencies, DNA variation and clinical outcomes.
Use process mapping, root cause analysis, staff feedback and patient experience information to drive improvements.
Redesign Audiology pathways to improve patient flow, clinic utilisation, attendance and patient experience.
Strengthen referral management, appointment booking, follow-up scheduling and clinical provision.
Monitor waiting lists, cancellations and rescheduled appointments to reduce delays and ensure compliance with policy.
Lead improvements in the use of Auditbase (EPR), including data cleansing and validation.
Produce performance reports, dashboards and recommendations with measurable action plans.
Support compliance with governance, quality and best practice standards.
Present information and recommendations at senior meetings as required.
Information Management
Apply standard project governance processes, including documentation, quality impact assessments and document control.
Communicate project requirements to stakeholders and escalate risks and issues appropriately.
Analyse data from multiple sources to produce reports that support operational and strategic decision-making.
Support the development of reporting processes and information systems.
Promote understanding of data analysis and statistical process control methodologies.
Develop improvement tools and templates, including advanced Excel solutions where appropriate.
Training and Development
Provide coaching and training in quality improvement, problem solving and data interpretation.
Support development of quality improvement champions within services.
Participate in mandatory training, professional development and annual appraisal processes.
Contribute to effective team working and ongoing service development.
Communication
Provide accurate and timely information to support decision-making.
Produce reports, presentations and communications for internal and external stakeholders.
Present findings and recommendations to a wide range of audiences.
Ensure stakeholders are engaged and informed throughout improvement programmes.
Incorporate the views of patients, families and other stakeholders into service development activities.
General
Provide cross-service cover when required.
Undertake additional duties appropriate to the role and grade.
Comply with Trust policies, including equality, safeguarding and data protection requirements.
Support continuous improvement and implementation of new processes.
Work across Audiology sites within North Central London as required.
Participate in Trust-wide modernisation and transformation programmes.
Contribute to service strategy, financial monitoring and efficiency initiatives.
Uphold Trust values and support delivery of high-quality, value-for-money services.
